1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water skis, hard shell boots, and bindings for attaching hard shell boots to water skis.
2. Description of the Related Art
The length and the width of a water ski define a top surface on which a skier's feet are positioned and supported when being pulled through water by a tow rope attached to a motor boat. Water skis generally have their length or longest direction extending along a longitudinal axis in the direction of motion. The width of the ski, perpendicular to the direction of motion, is generally much smaller than the length. The thickness of the ski extending perpendicular to the top surface of the ski, is generally much smaller than both the length and width.
Some water skis, such as slalom skis, are used by placing both feet on the same ski in tandem, one in front of the other. Other water skis are used by placing each foot on a different ski. In either case, the heel to toe axis of the skier's feet, and boots if used, are aligned generally with the direction of motion of the ski.
Water skis typically use either a soft binding for a skier's foot or a stiff binding for a hard shell boot. Traditional soft bindings are made from rubber, neoprene, or other soft materials that allow the foot and ankle of the skier to have a large degree of flexibility of movement along all axes of motion. These bindings are worn by sliding the foot into a soft enclosure such as a set of straps or a shoe. Some of these bindings may have devices for adjusting the binding to fit the foot of the skier.
Soft bindings allow skiers flexibility in moving and positioning their feet in the bindings for comfort or better effect while performing particular maneuvers. However, this flexibility also allows undesired movement of the leg and ankle of the skier with respect to the ski, making it more difficult to control the ski in high performance situations.
When hard shell boots are used, they are fixed to the skis by bindings that prevent the ankle and lower leg of the skier from rotating, or bending forward, backwards, or sideways, relative to the ski. These hard shell boots and bindings typically are used for highly competitive water skiing, most frequently performed on slalom skis. They permit the skier to more accurately control the angle at which the side of the ski will tack, or bite, into the water and thus allow the skier to perform complicated maneuvers more precisely and reliably than possible with the soft bindings. However, hard shell boots and bindings, unlike soft bindings, do not provide the skier with the flexibility in moving and positioning their feet in the bindings for comfort or better effect while performing particular maneuvers.